Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Cornucopia

Oh, the “horn of plenty”! It’s such a beautiful reminder of all that is good. It’s sort of a wonderfully filled cannoli; the kind with enough sugar crystals to make your mouth do a happy dance if mouths could dance. Or perhaps a reminder of Bugles stuffed with cream cheese. It’s overflowing with plenty. The “plenty” though for some people is not as beautiful or good as the “plenty for others…or so it seems.

I don’t know if your life is like mine – a life where in the last year you’ve experienced losses and wins, pain and enjoyment, disappointments and unexpected surprises, broken relationships and loving relationships, mental breakdowns and sanity, misfortune and blessings. I will guess that it is. There has been “plenty” of all the aforementioned filling my life this year. It’s been a cornucopia filled with all of life’s experiences that have somehow made me stronger and my life even more beautiful overall.

Since God’s “no” has manifested as “No, because I want something better for you” I have no logical reason to complain. Have I always liked it? No, I have not. In addition, I’ve told Him as much! Thankfully, He is very patient with me and has a great sense of humor. I am blessed with human relationships that mirror those qualities as well.

In response to such a beautiful life I lead with wonderful adventures awaiting and exceptional people to share it with, you know, like the cream of the cannoli, I choose to be grateful hopefully not just this Thanksgiving season but also every day.

Fill someone’s life with goodness today. It makes it sweeter.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Trees

I’ve recently become enthralled with the concept of specific trees as specific memorials for specific events. You might remember that I like things in triplicate so I had mention that specifically.

I’ve been thinking about a picture of Triple M and me…one where we look like total tree huggers and not because we are environmentalists in any way, shape or form, but because we were literally hugging a tree in his back yard as his right hand reached for my left hand. Aww. That sounds so beautiful. What made the event even more special was that I earlier spilled some coconut milk (seed from a tree…did you like that reference) on my T-shirt at an awkward angle above the waist while making piƱa coladas. Bama Girl did not think they were special enough. I got her back though. That’s another story. There is something romantic, even redeeming about trees.

The first tree that comes to mind is the tree of knowledge of good and evil as depicted in Genesis (first book of the Christian Bible). God is so Wonderful and He was willing to share everything, well, almost. He asked, ever so politely, I might add, for Adam and Eve to eat from everything else except that tree because it would not be good for them. I will venture to say most of you know the story but if not, I invite you to read Genesis Chapters one through at least four to get the full scoop. Somehow, even though I am sure the Garden of Eden was like, well, Eden or Paradise. Eve was fooled into thinking 99.9% wasn’t enough. She wanted that 0.01%. I don’t understand that. Regardless, even in the “hey, I’ve prepared a megabizzillion wonderful goodies for you from which you can feast…just don’t touch this one, or even go near it” invitation to all things wonderful, Eve chose stupidly.

The next tree I am reminded of is a tree in transition. This tree became a cross. It was transformed into a redemptive tool for you and me. As Chris Rice wrote from Jesus’ point of view, “Now I can never forget how much you mean to me. 'Cause I will always remember whenever I see. Where I carved your name into my tree. Where I wrapped my heart around your name. Then I took your arrow through my heart…Just to say, ‘I love you’. ‘I really love you’.”

The last tree that comprises my enthrallment is the tree from the song “Don’t sit under the apple tree…” There is something very romantic about this song. I must admit that I thought the spirit and feeling of that song would be my experience with Triple M when we went apple picking. I’d pictured tall apple trees and small ladders leading to plentiful fruit filled trees. I even got a flannel shirt, the kind with the snaps for the outing.

I thought Triple M and I would skip along and he would say, “Don’t sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me”, and we would sit under the tree. At that very moment, he would take a bite out of a beautiful apple, and I would tilt my head, giggle, and respond, “I won’t sit under the apple tree with anyone else but you…” I was deceived by Groupon. And somewhere along the way I became dissatisfied with my 99.9% everyday experience with him, and wanted that 0.01%. We did get our picture taken…while standing up. It turned out to be one of my favorite M & M pictures.

I think back now and see how foolish it is to search for that 0.01% of what can never be instead of being filled with joy for the 99.9% that is – the reaching out in hands and heart to wrap me in the love of all things wonderful. I’ll be deceived no more.